Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1887-05-17
WELCOME TO THE "RECORD ~

The Park City Record has the thanks of
THE DEMOCRAT and the cause of educa-
ton in Utah for its bold and vigorous
championship OF free school system.
The DEMOCRAT fraternally greets the
Record in the cause of right and justice,
and takes great pleasure in clipping the
following article from the last issue of the
Park City paper:
TO show how antagonistic the Mormon
press is toward the American free school
system, We extract the following from the
Beaver UtoniGn which is given in reply
TO an ably prepared article on Utah's
schools that recently appeared in THE
SALT LAKE DEMOCRAT:
We defy THE DEMOCRAT or any other
issue of the corruptionists to successfully
prove that the District schools of Utah are
not, taken as q whole, conducted with equal
ability TO the schools of any part of the
world. The only thing really needed is a
more united effort on the part of the teach
ers. Gentle teachers are not more success
full than Mormon teachers, They might be,
for a mere show, more energetic in getting
together in the capacity Of conventions. as
sociations, ETC., but as to ability they are
hardly equal. We infer from the tenor of
the foregoing excerpt that TIE DEMOCRAT
believes the church schools will eventually
pass into the hands of the Gentiles
Not so. These are private institutions and
are in no wise under Territorial supervi-
sion. They are maintained entirely indie
pendent of appropriation and cannot be
tampered with. II is not surprise that the
school interests of Utah is now being made
hobby of, and We expect to see them used
rs such until they are ridden to death, as
the laws regarding other things have been.
A great deal as to whether we maintain our
own schools or not depends upon the voters,
and now is the time for all to show their
strength.
The above is dandy for the misrepre-
sentation of the real facts. On reflection
we do not wonder that the Uonian edi-
tor, who is a typical Mormon school
teacher, mis-states the facts. 1t is his
business and religion so to do. 1t is not
worth the while to show particular in
stances Of the crudeness OF district schools
in Utah; there are hundreds of poor ex-
cuses for public schools in Utah and in
competent teachers to where there is one
instance of a model Mormon school.
This is natural enough. The Church
leaders have always discouraged the
cause of education and have frowned on
any popular plan bordering on the Amer
lean free school system. Every old resi-
dent of the Territory knows that Mormon
teachers are generally untutored, mex
perienced, unrefned, disloyal and totally
uaitted for such 4 calling. What Won
der, then. that Mormon schools are
years behind the age and that un-
wholesome ideas are being instilled in
many OF the rising generation. The
evil is an appalling one and appeals to
the enlightenment Of this far advanced
century to be speedily corrected. A
little wise legislation on the subject is
needed. Responsible trustees - not
priestly bound slaves-should fill the
places and by necessary restrictions only
competent, loyal teachers should be en-
P'DgSd' LII Ilo dDS6uC6 Vi measures
calculated to abolish the theological
missionary factories, the effective Chris
tan mission school work should be
pushed more vigorously. In the language
OF the Southern Utah journalist" it de.
pends much on the voting strength of
either side whether or not Utah's detest-
able, unenlightened disloyal school sys-
TEN shall be fostered or abolished. God
speed the day when Utah will have
American free schools of the highest or
der. This we have not, Notwithstanding
the bold, false assertion OF the sheet
We quoted above"
The above fearless and Just exposition
of the educational situation leads THE
DEMOCRAT to heartily wish that Utah |
could boast a few more papers like the
Park City Record.